NY State Department of Corrections called out on Abuse of Transgender Woman

Transgender Legal Calls on New York State Department of Corrections to Immediately Address Reports of Abuse Targeting a Transgender Woman at the Franklin Correctional Facility in Malone, New York

New York, NY- Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund is deeply disturbed by reports that Eyricka King, a transgender woman being held at the Franklin Correctional Facility in Malone New York, has been subjected to severe verbal, physical, and sexual abuse by officers and inmates at the facility. She is also reportedly being denied medical treatment.

Ms. King’s mother Kelly Harrison has been speaking out on behalf of her daughter through social media, and thousands of community members have signed a change.org petition demanding answers.

Transgender Legal has joined the chorus of voices calling for information about King’s condition and assurances from New York State Department of Corrections that it will immediately address this abuse.

“We are extremely troubled by reports of violence against Eyricka King at the Franklin Correctional Facility,” said Jillian Weiss, Executive Director of Transgender Legal. “We urge the State Department of Corrections to swiftly confront this abuse and ensure that Ms. King is removed from harm’s way in a manner consistent with law. We call on the department to administer proper medical treatment immediately. The department should move Ms. King to a facility where she will be protected and treated with dignity and respect. As required by law, they should provide an individualized assessment for protective custody, without the use of cruel and harmful solitary confinement or administrative segregation. The idea that a sexual assault victim would be laughed at, dismissed, or placed in solitary for bringing her complaints to the attention of officials is horrifying to any civilized society.”

“In 2016 New York State adopted comprehensive regulations protecting transgender New Yorkers from Discrimination. We expect the Department of Corrections to abide by these comprehensive rules,” Weiss said.

“The Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, yet transgender people housed in correctional facilities across this nation still often face brutal conditions, including physical violence, isolation and poor medical treatment,” said Kylar W. Broadus, Operations Officer of Transgender Legal. “We are alarmed to learn that Eyricka King had encountered such abuses in New York State and we implore the Department of Corrections to put an end to it now, while ensuring future reforms.”